Despite having been on Manchester City's transfer radar during the final days of the ongoing summer transfer window, AS Roma's Manu Kone is expected to stay at his current club, according to reports in Italy.
Elliot Anderson is awaiting his Manchester City midfield partner
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The one area of Manchester City’s squad that has taken a significant hit over the summer transfer window has been the club's midfield, most recently losing the likes of Rodri to Barcelona and Tijjani Reijnders to Al Qadsiah, with further doubts lingering.
Adding Bernardo Silva's free transfer exit to Real Madrid, the Citizens have lost significant Premier League pedigree and, more notably, leadership, while the Portuguese international and Rodri in particular were two of the more senior figures on the team last season.
Granted, Enzo Maresca and colleagues working in transfer positions have been working hard to make up for such losses, with the only tangible signing so far being the £116 million move for Elliot Anderson, arriving at the Etihad Stadium after a two-year stint with Nottingham Forest.
However, the Englishman was not the only midfielder that the Sky Blues were interested in, as the team remains on the trail of Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, whilst closing in on the €100 million signing of Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Lille and Manchester City have come to an agreement over a transfer for Ayyoub Bouaddi to the Etihad Stadium, it is being reported.cityxtra.co.ukMan City and Lille Reach Full Agreement on Ayyoub Bouaddi
Lille and Manchester City have come to an agreement over a transfer for Ayyoub Bouaddi to the Etihad Stadium, it is being reported.
Manu Kone expected to stay at AS Roma
But there is one midfielder who is now expected to fall off Manchester City’s radar, AS Roma’s Manu Kone, should the latest reports in Italy to be proven accurate.
That is according to the information of Corriere dello Sport, who claim that the Frenchman is now expected to stay with the Serie A side beyond the ongoing summer transfer window, particularly given Manchester City's interest in other players on the market.
The France international midfielder, who played a prominent role for his nation at the summer's FIFA World Cup, was reportedly part of Hugo Viana’s midfielder shortlist for the final eight days of the market, but it seems as though eyes will turn elsewhere in the market.
Manu Kone had quite a campaign over the course of the last year, appearing in 37 games for I Giallorossi in which he had recorded five goal involvements and won 31 tackles - proving to be a handful on both sides of the pitch.
The 25-year-old would then take to the global stage as part of France’s squad at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making five appearances - four of which were starts - en route to Les Bleus' fourth-place finish at the competition.
Hugo Viana and Manchester City have added AS Roma's Manu Kone to their shortlist of potential summer midfield recruits for the final two weeks of the transfer window, according to reports.cityxtra.co.ukMan City Target AS Roma's Manu Kone Following Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders Sales
Hugo Viana and Manchester City have added AS Roma's Manu Kone to their shortlist of potential summer midfield recruits for the final two weeks of the transfer window, according to reports.
How could City change Kone's future in the final days?
While Manu Kone is expected to stay at AS Roma beyond the transfer deadline, any successful move from Manchester City or any other suitor would have to come through a bid in the region of €55 million.
Such a transfer fee would not exactly break the bank for the Sky Blues this summer who, after the sales of Tijjani Reijnders and Rodri among others, have made around €190.9 million in the market so far, according to Transfermarkt.
Most notably, the aforementioned income does not include Savinho’s move to Tottenham Hotspur, which is reported to be worth an £85 million total fee.
But for now though, it looks like Hugo Viana and Manchester City will have to turn their sights elsewhere from Manu Kone in the remaining days of the transfer window.